We're Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
by fallenmelody
Summary: Vampire. The word still tasted foreign in her mouth. -- Bella/Jasper with a side of Edward/Angela.
1. Preface

_Vampire._ The word still tasted foreign in her mouth. She had repeated it over and over during the many months she spent with Edward. She had begged him to give her the gift of spending forever in his arms and now she had what she always wanted. She was immortal and thirsty, but there was a more prominent craving burning in her veins.

The draw to a certain blonde vampire was not something she had anticipated. His undecipherable expressions and ability to keep her overwhelming emotions under control had her mind spinning. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She was supposed to be with Edward forever. How could this happen to her? To _them_.

She felt Angela's arm slide around her waist like Alice's used to. Bella fought the urge to run. None of this was Angela's fault. It was hers. Both girls shimmered in the artificial light of the kitchen. What had they done to deserve this? This wasn't the plan. This wasn't the life Bella had hoped for.

It was so much _more_.

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I just write fic, because it's fun. No profit is being made unless my happiness counts! :D

**A/N:** I know none of you have heard from me in forever. I'm still alive. waves hands Okay, so here's what you need to know. This fic is starting out as Edward/Bella with a side of Jasper/Alice. As the story evolves, it's ultimately going to be Jasper/Bella with a side of Edward/Angela. This starts of like New Moon, except it's written from third person POV and there are quite a few things that change. (It's really like... my version of New Moon, if that's they way you want to think about it.) It is a multi-chapter fic. Please be patient with me about updating. It starts at Bella's birthday party (I don't feel like it's necessary to go through all of that, because you know what happened already. The only thing different is Alice has invited Angela to the birthday party to make Bella more comfortable.) I will probably post the first chapter for all of you this weekend! Oh, and if I'm being completely honest... reviews keep me writing! ;)

- Britt.


	2. Chapter One

Bella Swan's absurdly loud protests could be heard for miles as her boyfriend took her by the hand and led her out to the beat-up Chevy parked in front of her house. She had always hated her birthday, but never more than today. It was her _eighteenth_ birthday, the day that made it official that she was older than Edward Cullen would ever be. And as if the day couldn't get any worse, Edward was currently driving her to the birthday party Alice had been planning for months.

Naturally, Bella refused and had almost resorted to kicking and screaming her way out of it. But Edward had stared into her eyes and pleaded with her to indulge him, to let his family enjoy this. "Bella, the last real birthday any of us had was Emmett in 1935. Cut us a little slack, and don't be too difficult tonight. They're all very excited." One internal sigh and an agreement to behave later, and they were on their way out of Forks, Edward coaxing her antique pickup truck to go just a little bit faster.

The car ride was mostly silent until he brought up the subject of birthday presents once again. "So, if you won't let me get you a new car, isn't there anything that you'd like for your birthday?" he asked.

Her voice was a whisper as the words tumbled from her lips. "You know what I want."

A frown lingered on his face, his eyes locking on the road in front of him as he spoke. "Not tonight, Bella. Please."

She couldn't let it go though. She'd been after him about it for weeks, months even. She wanted to live forever with him. She wanted to spend the rest of her days on this earth lying in his arms as he hummed her lullaby. She wanted to be a vampire like him and the rest of his family.

"Well, maybe Alice will give me what I want," she said stubbornly. "Or Emmett. I'm sure he'd be happy to do it if you're not up for the job."

Edward growled, but she didn't cringe or move away. He'd stopped scaring her long ago. Nothing could keep her away now. "This isn't going to be your last birthday, Bella."

"That's not fair!" Her voice came out higher than she intended it to, but the effect was the same. He rubbed his forehead and cut the engine. She hadn't even noticed that they were already there. The drive was lit up with Japanese lanterns and hundreds of pink roses and streamers decorated the porch.

A small moan escaped her and Edward squeezed her hand gently. "Please drop it for tonight, okay? This is a party," he reminded her. "Try to be a good sport."

Bella nodded reluctantly.

"Now, I should let you know... Alice has a rather big surprise waiting for you inside." She opened her mouth to interrupt, but he quickly covered it with the palm of his hand. "And it didn't cost anything, just effort on our parts. So, I think you'll enjoy it."

Bella frowned, but nodded again before starting up the steps to the front door. "Wait." She stopped, her hand gripping the doorknob. "You said that this surprise didn't cost anything, right?"

He nodded, his lips spreading into a grin. _He must have been listening to Alice or Emmett_, she mused, not taking the time to think about the fact that it was probably their thoughts he was hearing, and not a conversation. Her eyes flickered from the door to his face. "Well, if you know what's good for you, you didn't spend any money on birthday presents either."

"Not a dime," Edward promised, eyes sparkling with delight.

"And one more thing... If I develop this film, will you show up in the picture?"

He chuckled, an adoring grin replacing the frown that had been there. "Can you just open the door? Alice is going to knock you over on her way out here if you don't hurry up."

Bella rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. No matter how much she denied it, she was slightly intrigued. She turned the handle and pushed the door open, flooding the front porch with the dim light coming from the living room.

"Happy Birthday, Bella!" Their voices echoed at different times and in different tones, but one in particular caught her attention. It wasn't as clear and musical as the others, but she recognized it all the same. Standing between Alice and Emmett was her classmate, Angela Weber. The shock on her face was evident and she knew Jasper must have been swimming in a lake of confusion and surprise. Now she knew what Edward had meant when he said that the surprise had taken "some effort". A human and six vampires in the same room for who knew how long. _Poor Jasper_ was the only thing that could cross her mind before Alice began towing Angela towards her. "Isn't this _wonderful_, Bella?" she asked excitedly, hugging both girls close. Alice's golden eyes glowed and her skin shimmered ever so slightly, just enough to pass for body glitter.

"Happy Birthday!" Angela smiled and hugged her friend quickly. A few of the others began to move forward to greet her and wish her a happy birthday.

Carlisle wrapped an arm around her shoulders and whispered loudly in her ear. "Sorry about this, Bella. We couldn't rein Alice in." Esme smiled at his words and took Bella into her arms just as a true mother would. She pressed a kiss to her forehead, wishing her a wonderful birthday, before gently releasing her.

Rosalie didn't wish her a happy birthday, but that wasn't much of a surprise. She had never been Bella's biggest fan, so there was no reason for today to change anything. Emmett, however, pulled her into a nearly bone-crushing hug. She wouldn't have been surprised to discover a few bruises later. When he let go, his usual teasing followed. "You haven't changed at all. I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."

"Thanks a lot, Emmett," she replied as her blush deepened in color.

Emmett laughed loudly, taking a step towards the door. "I have to step out for a second. Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."

"I'll try," Bella replied dryly, her eyes sweeping the rest of the room. Jasper smiled slightly at her from his seat near the bottom of the stairs. It was clear that he still didn't trust himself to be too close to her, or Angela, for that matter. Bella returned the gesture, but didn't have the chance to greet him before Alice clapped excitedly and looped an arm around Bella's waist, pulling her to the center of the room where a small pile of silver-wrapped presents, a hundred pink roses, and a large pink cake sat on top of Edward's piano. She hoped Alice wasn't going to force the others to eat a piece of cake. The thought of any of them having to throw it up later made her slightly sick to her stomach.

"Time to open presents," Alice announced happily, bouncing on her toes. She looked more like a ballerina than a vampire when she picked up the largest box and placed it on the floor in front of her.

Frowning slightly, Bella looked up at her friend. She wasn't going to open this without at least _trying_ to protest it. "Alice, I told you I didn't want anything—"

"But I didn't listen," she interrupted. "This one isn't from me anyway. It's from Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper."

Bella paused for a moment and then slowly slid her finger beneath the wrapping paper. Alice sighed deeply from her spot next to Angela. "I'm not getting any younger here, Bella. Rip it open!" Her voice was full of impatience and excitement. Bella finally got the paper off the box and pulled off the lid. It was empty.

"Um, thanks?"

Rosalie cracked a smile and Jasper laughed as he took a few steps forward so he was standing next to Alice. "It's a stereo for your truck," he explained, waving his hand towards the garage door. "Emmett's installing it now so that you can't return it."

She smiled to herself. That must have been why Edward had complained about her stereo after school. They were always one step ahead of her.

"Thanks, Jasper, Rosalie," she told them, a grin stretching across her face. "Thanks, Emmett!" she called a little louder, but not by much. She'd learned by now that she didn't have to yell for one of them to hear her.

Emmett's laugh boomed from somewhere outside and the rest of the room chuckled with him.

"Open Angela's next!" Alice demanded, her voice coming out higher than usual. She took a small, square box from the top of the pile and placed it in Bella's hands. Knowing her classmate wouldn't have spent too much money on a gift, Bella didn't complain. Angela knew Bella preferred smaller things, less flashy and high-tech than a stereo.

She slid her finger under the ribbon and tried to slide it over the box.

"Oh, sorry Bella! I guess I tied it too tight." Grabbing the cake knife from the table, Angela slid it under the ribbon, and cut straight through, catching her finger on the blade just as she finished. "Ouch!" she gasped, placing the knife carefully back on the table before taking a closer look at her finger. A bubble of blood had begun to surface where she'd cut herself.

What followed next happened almost too quickly. Had Bella blinked, she wouldn't have seen Jasper jump from his position next to Alice and pin Angela to the floor, or heard the scream die in her throat as his teeth sank into the flesh of her neck. Emmett was there in a flash, wrestling Jasper off of her.

Bella was pulled from the floor, but she continued to fight against the iron grip of whoever was holding her back. "Angela! _Angela_!" Desperate screams echoed off the walls. _What was happening?_

Edward whispered fierce apologies into her hair, pressing her body against his. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have known this would be too much for him to handle."

Carlisle was bent over Angela as she writhed helplessly on the floor, his eyes focused to the puncture on her neck. Jasper was still struggling to escape Emmett's grasp as he was taken outside. Both Rosalie and Esme followed them out, leaving Alice to discover the outcome for herself. Her eyes slowly drifted out of focus as she searched for answers. A small gasp escaped her lips and Edward watched her vision as it played in her mind for a second time.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out what he'd seen as Carlisle pulled himself into a standing position and faced Bella. Tears streamed down her face as she watched her friend bite down on her lower lip to keep from screaming. She whispered about a raging fire, a fire that Bella remembered only too well. Carlisle's expression was pained. "I'm sorry, Bella," he murmured. "I'm afraid it's too late."

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer. (And in this chapter specifically, there are some direct quotes from _New Moon_. Those belong to her, also.) I just write fic, because it's fun. No profit is being made unless my happiness counts! :D

**A/N:** Screw it, I am too impatient to wait for another day. I like updating, okay? ;D Um, a huge thank you to _apresmoi_ for betaing this for me in the middle of the night when she should of been sleeping and then again after she got some sleep! You're the best, bb. All of your encouraging comments when I posted this on my LJ definitely pumped me up and got me to write this chapter faster! Anyway, onto things that you need to know about this chapter. I had tons of fun writing it. This chapter somewhat parallels the second half of the first chapter of _New Moon_, with some obvious changes (in actions, dialogue, and POV). This is really all that will be directly from the books. I hope that you enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry about the (sort of) cliff-hanger at the end. I think you guys know what happens next, but that's not going to stop me from trying to leave you wanting to know more. Anyway, thank you all in advance for leaving reviews on this and the preface! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D


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